AUSTRALIA ~ The Antipodes

I love a sunburnt country / A land of sweeping plains / Of ragged mountain ranges / Of droughts and flooding rains / I love her far horizons / I love her jewel-sea / Her beauty and her terror / The wide brown land for me / ~ Dorothea Mackellar (1885-1968)

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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

This headstone is at Tyabb Cemetery, Hastings on Westernport Bay, Mornington Peninsula.The Bentons were a famous pioneering family of the Mornington Peninsula.(Famous maybe - Benton's Square, Benton's Road, Benton's College - but family detail is difficult to find.)Benjamin John Benton completed Mornington pier in 1857 (for more details, click on the photo), but George, this son of his second marriage (one of 7 children) is less well known.Source: Benton Family(NOTE: The Flood family tree records John Flood as marrying "Martha" Elizabeth Benton in 1888.)Benjamin's family (from England) is recorded as settling at Mornington on Port Phillip Bay c.1851, but George, (Geo R on the headstone but also listed as George B ) once married, seems to have settled at Hastings on the Westernport Bay side of the peninsula.And yet there is no apparent evidence of a headstone nearby for George or Annie.

The Tyabb Cemetery database says that they are here - stating that George died in 1920 and Anne in 1924. It also says that they had a daughter Anne Caroline who died in 1949.)Just this one grave - paving style - for three children.The other side of the headstone appears blank!(I was wondering if it could be faded being in more direct sunlight.

Or, was another headstone once there - back to back?

What intrigued me about this headstone was that two children were accidently killed. They were only teenagers.I found details of one "accidental death".

ARTILLERYMAN'S DEATHAn inquest was held at the Morgue yesterday, by Mr. Candler, the city coroner, intothe death of Ernest Kempster Benton, who was killed by a falling flagpole at the Bittern Artillery Camp on Monday last. Evidence was given to show that two horses, which were tied to the flagstaff, became restive. Benton went up to quieten them, but they pulled back, and dragged the flag-staff down on his head. The guys were not intended to hang horses on. Benton was on duty at the time the accident occurred. The coroner returned a verdict that the injury had occurred whilst deceased was in the the execution of his duty as a driver, and that it was accidental. - The Argus 29th April 1905

Further Notes:A memorial has been placed at Tyabb Recreation Reserve Shire - Hastings Historical Society Marker No. 3.Memorial to Ernest Benton of Tyabb and a member of the 6th Battery A.F.A. who sustained fatal injuries in 1905 when releasing a horse tied to a guy rope of this flagpole, then on the Hastings foreshore at the Battery gunshed.Placed in 1984 by his nephew, George Benton

Last Thursday 26th January was Australia Day.And many people flocked to the Dromana foreshore for celebrations.Here, some are queued for a ride in the surf boat.I was so intent trying to include all the shadow patterns on the sands, I did not notice that the pier in the background appeared to be rising to the skies!At first, I was going to discard this photo.But I liked the shadow patterns.So here it is.

Shadows on the sandsGift of early morning lightGentle summer shapes

Shadows can be gentle relief from the cacophonic glare of reality. - Gemma Wiseman

Friday, January 27, 2012

Flinders Street station Melbourne displayed flags for Australia Day celebrations yesterday.In my Dromana world on the peninsula, there were early morning fun runs along the foreshore, a free bacon and egg roll breakfast (only sausage on a roll last year), vintage car displays, music by the pier and the opportunity to have a ride in a surf boat.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

A quirky sign for a small hamburger and chips shop in Swanston Street, MelbourneThe caption about caring puzzles me. Not sure why that would be added.Caring about good food? Customer service? Anything?

Quite noticeably this summer, many people - esp children - are not donning swimming costumes for beach time.Instead, they wear tops with sleeves, hats and shorts even for entering the water.This photo was taken at Dromana beach on Port Phillip Bay.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Sir John Holland's last resting place is at Flinders Cemetery, on the southern end of the Mornington Peninsula - not far from his beloved Flinders Golf Club.Holland’s construction company was involved in iconic Australian projects:

the Snowy Mountains Scheme, the West Gate Bridge, the Sydney Entertainment Centre, and the “new” Parliament House.Further in Melbourne, he was involved in the construction of the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Eastlink and the MCG's Great Southern Stand.He was also involved in the construction of the Tasman Bridge in Hobart and the Captain Cook Bridge in Sydney.

And it all began with:His first major contract was to build a shed for £200. The shed was to be built on the property of a farmer called Malcolm Fraser.(This information is not totally correct! It was Malcolm Fraser's parents' property of 'Nareen' in western Victoria which became Malcolm's later. And the shed was a woolshed.

Just a sideline, Malcolm Fraser now lives not far from me at Thurulgoona, a property in Red Hill South/Merricks with views of Westernport Bay!'Nareen' was sold in 2000 says the government website but HERE says differently. 'Nareen' is now listed as the Nareen Homestead Complex.)

Malcolm Fraser became Australia's Prime Minister 20 years later.And it was then that the John Holland Construction Group was commissioned to build the new Parliament House in Canberra.More details of Sir John's amazing life are HERE!The turned head of the magpie on the headstone is similar to the magpie symbolising Collingwood Football Club in Melbourne.Perhaps Sir John was a supporter.

Next to Sir John's resting place is that of his lady.So strange! I have Googled her name several times and can find no information at all about her.I am quite sure with her "compassion for others" she may have been involved in community life! But on that, the records are silent.Perhaps the only clue is the wren symbol on her headstone.In Celtic worlds, the wren mainly symbolised creativity, sharing, friendliness and free spirit.More details HERE!Further, Sir John re-married in 2003.His new wife's name was Suzanne (Suzie on his headstone) Wharton and she was not given the title of Lady.

One of the horses on a horse-drawn carriage tour in Melbourne CBD.There are many different horse and carriage styles plus the drivers often dress up too!These carriage tours are available at weekends and all weekdays throughout the summer school holidays.They may be boarded in Swanston Street and tour the city main streets.More information on 12 companies operating these tours may be found HERE!It costs about $100 carriage hire for half an hour's tour.

Sampling some old waysRiding a horse drawn carriageYesterday's romance

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Monday, January 23, 2012

This piece of machinery looks like a tractor!But it is used to haul open carriages for those who don't wish to walk the hilly 6km stretch ~ at Point Nepean on the far southern end of the peninsula.The whole is called a "transporter"!So here, do we see a window or a door?

Unique travel modeOpen to fresh air and viewsRecycled tractor.

A view of the rocky headland and transporter as it nears the end of its journey.I walked the whole distance once - one way.On this day, I chose to take the transporter between points of interest.Fortunately it has several stopping areas and runs half hourly.

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I don't usually wander on a photo spree in the middle of the day.Usually the summer light is too glarey (if it's not raining!)But on this day, the sun appeared late on a grey morning, so I risked it!Shadows were generally scarce.But when I uploaded this photo taken near Dromana beach, I noticed that the little boy's hand seemed to be holding his fragile shadow!(In actual fact, he only turned to me as I clicked the photo!)I saw more than I first knew!I had to use it!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Reflections in a shop window at Melbourne Central Railway station.Part of the design of the window are columns and arches etched on the glass.The etching frames the subtle reflections around.This photo was taken without a flash.The reflected lights seem to become a part of the design.

Fanciful windowA glimpse of classical worldsRomantic escape

This version is taken with a flash.(I know! It seems to be that this is the "no flash" version and the other photo is "the flash"!)

Lady Gemma

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About Me ~ Blogging since 4.07.07

Over 50! And Motoring!

T.S.Eliot's poetry has never failed to intoxicate me! In fact, his sunlight on a broken column, his midnights and lamp posts, his female rhythms mouthing Michelangelo pleasantries are all bound up in the "overwhelming question" of our real biorhythms and souls! ~
We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.
~~~~Ray Bradbury
~~~~Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.~~~Anton Chekhov ~~~
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.
~Angela Monet

AUSTRALIAN BLOGGER

Footfalls echo in the memory,
Down the passage which we did not take,
Towards the door we never opened
Into the rose-garden.- T.S.Eliot ..............................
My page was too white/My ink was too thin/The day wouldn’t write/What the night pencilled in
-'The Book of Longing'
Leonard Cohen.....................
Creative discord of fractured harmonies! Between the Question and the Answer is
A Hush...
A Whisper...
A Dreaming... The grit of raw desert lands whirls on the winds in erotic rhythms - sometimes.
- Greyscale

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IN MEMORY OF SPADOMAN Monday 2.12.13 Miss his smiling view of the world in all its jagged pieces

I'm a Renaisance Man. I've been a lot of places and done a lot of things. I tell stories, sometimes, when I'm in the mood or especially when someone asks me. I don't want to believe I have an ego problem, but I admit I have an ego. All I really desire is when you hear that I have passed, I hope you can say, "Too bad, he was a nice guy."

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~ The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.~ Tagore